Short-Term Student Visa To The UK

This information is for you if you are currently outside the UK and you want to come to study in the UK as a 'short-term student' because either:

you are not eligible to apply for a Tier 4 student visa OR

you have chosen not to apply for a Tier 4 student visa as you meet the requirements for a 'short-term student' visa

This information explains what you need to do to get immigration permission in order to come to study in the UK as a 'short-term student'. ​

The ordinary 'short-term student' category will allow you to come to the UK if you are 18 years or older, and want to enter:

for up to 6 months to study a short course OR

for up to 11 months to study an English language course OR

if you are enrolled on a course abroad that is at least equivalent to the level of a UK bachelor's degree, you can enter for up to 6 months to do research, or to receive tuition on how to conduct research, at a UK institution

The 'short-term student (child)' category will allow you to come to the UK if you are under 18 years old, and want to enter:

for up to 6 months to study a course

As a short-term student, you must leave the UK on or before the date that your immigration permission ends. Short-term students are not allowed to apply to switch into any other immigration category while still in the UK. If you wish to continue studying in the UK after your immigration permission as a short-term student has come to an end, you will need to return home and apply for entry clearance as a Tier 4 student, or in another appropriate immigration category. As a short-term student, you cannot do any kind of work, work placement or work experience during your studies in the UK. For information from the UK immigration authorities about short-term students, please read the Home Office information for applicants. You can also read the modernised guidance on short-term students that they give to their own staff.

Short Course - maximum of 6 months duration

If you want to come to the UK under this route, you must meet all the following requirements:

You are genuinely seeking entry as a short-term student

You are at least 18 years of age

You have enough money to support yourself while you are in the UK. You need to show you can pay for your tuition fees, accommodation and living expenses

You already have an unconditional offer to study in the UK

The study is for no more than 6 months (this can include people on distance learning courses who only want to come to the UK for a few weeks at a time, people coming to re-sit an exam or re-take a module, according to the Home Office's modernised guidance for its staff. But read page 11 of their guidance carefully for a warning about not doing this too frequently)

You do not intend to study in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive periods as a short-term student

You intend to leave the UK at the end of the study or the end of 6 months, whichever of these is sooner

You intend to study at an education provider which:

holds a Tier 4 sponsor licence, or

is accredited by a Home Office approved accreditation body (Amity College is accredited by ASIC - a Home Office approved accreditation body), or

is inspected, reviewed or audited by a Home Office approved inspection body, or

is an overseas higher education institution offering only part of their programmes in the UK

The course does not need to lead to a specific qualification.

There are no minimum academic requirements for immigration purposes. The course can be at any level, but your course provider may have specific admissions criteria.

You are not required to have a minimum English language ability, but your course provider may have specific admissions criteria.

There are no minimum hours which you must be studying during your time in the UK. You can study part-time or full-time as a short-term student.

You cannot do any kind of work, work experience or work placement (even if it is part of your course, or is unpaid). You will not be allowed to do any business or professional activities in the UK.

You can change your course of study as long as the total length of the course is within the period of immigration permission you have been granted, and the place of study still meets the criteria.

Entry clearance

If you are a visa national, you must apply for entry clearance before you travel to the UK (see the Immigration Rules, Appendix 2 of Appendix V for a current list of visa nationals). It is a good idea to carry with you all of the documents that you submitted with your entry clearance application, when you travel to the UK. The Border Force Officer may ask to see these documents when you arrive in the UK.

If you are a non-visa national, you can choose whether to apply for entry clearance in advance of travelling, or to wait until you arrive at the port of entry to the UK, and make your request to enter as a short-term student there. If you do not obtain entry clearance before you travel, you will need to produce all the documents to support your application to enter the UK as a short-term student to the Border Force Officer when you arrive at the port of entry to the UK. This includes evidence of your unconditional offer to study in the UK and evidence of your finances. It is important you ask to be admitted as a short-term student (rather than as a visitor) - you will need to make a special effort to talk to the Border Force Officer to explain that. Make sure that they look at your short-term student visa letter (which confirms your unconditional offer and acceptance on the course), and ask that the stamp you get in your passport indicates you are here as a short-term student.

Even if you obtain entry clearance as a short-term student before travelling to the UK, you should still carry all the documents that you submitted with your entry clearance application when you travel to the UK. The Border Force Officer may ask to see these documents when you arrive in the UK.

English Language Course - maximum of 11 months duration

If you want to come to the UK under this route, you must meet all the following requirements:

You are at least 18 years of age

Your course lasts between 6 and 11 months and is at a college that holds a sponsor licence under Tier 4 of the points-based system or is accredited by a Home Office-approved body;

You will only be taking an English language course and not studying any other subjects;

You have no intention of extending your stay;

You do not want to work in the UK.

You do not intend to study in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive periods as a short-term student

You have enough money to support yourself while you are in the UK. You need to show you can pay for your tuition fees, accommodation and living expenses.

What do you need to apply for a Student Visitor Visa or Extended Student Visitor Visa?

A letter from a licensed or an accredited institution which shows that you have been unconditionally accepted or enrolled on a course of study in the UK. You will need to ensure that the institution that you apply to study at has the correct accreditation or your visa application will be refused (Amity College is accredited by ASIC - a Home Office approved accreditation body);

You will need to show that you are a genuine student visitor who intends to leave the UK at the end of the course;

You will need to demonstrate that you have sufficient funds to maintain and accommodate yourself during your stay in the UK. Therefore ensure that you provide financial information such as bank statements or a savings account. If a parent is sponsoring you, their financial information should also be submitted along with proof of your relationship;

If you are applying for an extended student visitor visa and will be in the UK for more than 6 months, you will need to obtain a tuberculosis screening certificate.

Entry clearance

If you are a visa national, you must apply for entry clearance before you travel to the UK (see the Immigration Rules Appendix 2 of Appendix V for a current list of visa nationals). It is a good idea to carry with you all the documents that you submitted with your entry clearance application, when you travel to the UK. The Border Force Officer may ask to see these documents when you arrive in the UK.

If you are a non-visa national, you can choose whether to apply for entry clearance in advance of travelling, or to wait until you arrive at the port of entry to the UK, and make your request to enter as a short-term student there. If you choose not to apply for entry clearance, you will have to be very careful to make sure that you have original documents with you when you travel, that evidence the fact that you meet all the requirements listed in the other box (you will have to show these to the Border Force Officer when you arrive). They are quite complicated, so you might decide you would feel more secure if you obtained entry clearance before travelling.

If you are a non-visa national and you choose not to obtain entry clearance before you travel, it is important that when you arrive you ask to be admitted as a short-term student (rather than as a visitor). You will need to make a special effort to talk to the Border Force Officer to explain that. Make sure that they look at your short-term student visa letter (which confirms your unconditional offer from the UK institution), and ask that the stamp you get in your passport indicates you are here as a short-term student.

If you are a non-visa national and you choose to obtain entry clearance before you travel, you should still carry with you all the documents that you submitted with your entry clearance application, when you travel to the UK. The Border Force Officer may ask to see these documents when you arrive in the UK.

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